Container



June 1965 L. w. LUBENOW 3,186,607

CONTAINER Filed June 19, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet FIG. 3 i

FIG. 6

INVENTOR. LEWIS w. LUBENOW ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,186,607 CONTAINER Lewis W. Lubenow, 27 Hawthorne Ave, Bloomfield, NJ. Filed June 19,1962, Ser. No. 203,550 4' Claims. (Cl. 222-547) This invention relates to containers and, more particularly, to such for handling dry pulverant or granular materials which, because of their toxicity or chemical nature, should not be allowed to leak or become contaminated.

Manufacturers, users and shippers of dry pulverant or granular materials which are inherently dangerous or are ruined by slight contamination are faced with the problem of not only providing containers which will not leak during transit, but of preventing leakage or contamination of such materials during loading and unloading. In such instances, materials being handled are contaminated by exposure to air for any substantial length of time and, on the other hand, the escape of such material may create a menace to workmen. Under suchcircumstances a container must be gas tight and some additional provision must be made for loading and unloading without exposing the enclosed material to the atmosphere for any appreciable length of time.

Containers heretofore used for transporting such mater-ials have had either separate filling and emptying openings at the top and bottom respectively, or they used a single opening at the top of the container and made provision for inverting it to remove the material. The use of dual access openings is; expensive and bottom openings are dangerous since any leakage can easily flood a, conveying vehicle with a hazardous or toxic material.

A further difliculty experienced with currently available'containers' is the necessity for cleaning at rather fre quent intervals. Pulverant materials, particularly those which are hydrated to any marked degree, have a tendency to compact and stick to the container walls, particularly at the corners. This requires a complete cleaning when it is desired to reuse empty containers.

According to my invention, there is provided a container having a top opening which is adapted to be closed by a gas tight cover and which may be conveniently loaded and unloaded. Such containers are extremely rugged in character, relatively light in weight, especially if made of aluminum as is considered desirable, may be stacked, and are of such, a shape as to permit spacesaving storage. The containers are constructed in a manner which insures self-cleaning during handlingof materials and they are adapted for use on standard railway cars or trucks.

-An object of my invention'is to provide an improved container for handling pulverant or granular materials without leakage or appreciable contamination.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved container for handling pulverant or granular materials and which has a single access opening closable by a cover in gas tight relationship therewith.

'A further object of my invention is to provide containers-of the foregoing type which are generally rectangular in shape and which contain internal means to facilitate unloading and to provide a large measure of selffeeding. I Y

A still further object of my invention is to provide a container adapted for shipping hazardous chemicals without danger of leakage or appreciable contamination and having a quick, releasable cover or closure device.

A further object of my invention is to provide a rectangular container with asingle top corner opening so positioned that the container maybe tilted to predetermined angles about its'diagonal axis for both filling and unloading its contents.

Ei hth? These and other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken with the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and do not define the scope or limits of the invention, reference being had for the latter purpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters denote like parts in the several views:

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view of a wide side of a a container embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of a narrow side of a contatiner embodying my invention.

FIGURE 3 is a plan of the container of FIGURES 1 and 2, showing the tangency of the transition corner plate with respect to the periphery of the top opening.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view directed diagonally at the upper corner of the container nearest the opening through which the same is emptied when tilted for the purpose of removing the contents thereof.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view, on the line V--V of FIGURE 3, but to an enlarged scale.

FIGURE 6 is a view of the transition corner plate separated from the container and as viewed in the direction of the arrow in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a diagrammatic view of apparatus capable of supporting a container embodying my invention and tilting it to content-dumping position.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and first considering FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, there is shown a container comprising a rectangular body 11 consisting of a'bottom wall 12, relatively wide side walls 13, relatively narrow side walls 14 and a top wall 15. The side walls 13 and 14 are desirably stiffened by corrugating indicated at 20. All of said walls are desirably joined to adjacent walls at relatively large radius corners 16, which greatly facilitate cleaning when such is necessary. The top wall or sheet 15 is provided with a generally circular opening 17, from which upstands a flange or collar 18' terminating in an outstanding bead or boss 19, as most clearly illustrated in FIG- URE 5.

The flange 18 is desirably united to the top wall 15 along a diagonal connecting plate portion 21, desirably making an angle of about 45 with the horizontal when the container is in an upright position. The portion 21 may be bent upwardly from the top wall 15, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, and the collar 18 secured to the free edge thereof, as by welding indicated at 22. This makes the inner surface of the sheet 15 generally unobstructed around said opening 17 so as to be free from means baffiing the ilow of matter therealong when the body is upturned to a discharge position. All of the parts of container are made of suitable metal such as steel, stainless steel, aluminum or other metal as desired. The bottom Wall 12 isdesirably provided, in the embodiment illustrated, with four feet or legs 23, one at each corner, each foot being desirably pressed from metal corresponding with that of the material of the container and provided with outstanding flanges welded or other-wise secured to the outer surface of said bottom wall.

These feet 23 serve the doublefunction of (1') supporting the bottom wall 12 of the container above the floor or other surface on which the container rests and (2), providing for stacking of one container on another. The :lower wall may have a small aperture or opening defined by a depending relatively short flange 26. A cap 25, which may be screw threaded or otherwise connected-to said '1 a container, do not engage the eccentrical-ly positioned flange 18 and its boss 19 or closure means thereon, above the top wall 15 of a similar container on which it rests.

The relatively large opening 17in the top wall 15 of,

as viewed in FIGURE 5, with an interposed gasket 31,

desirably formed of neoprene or other suitable resilient material. In order to facilitate emptying the contents of the container 11, I not only have the access opening 17 disposed near one corner, but I have that corner closed by a transition corner plate 32. This plate is desirably formed of material corresponding with that from which the body of the container is formed. It is desirably generally triangular, as viewed in FIGURE 6 and, when in place, secured to the top wall as by welding, indicated at 3 3 in FIGURE 5. From this connection it depends diagonally (FIGURES 4 and 5) With its side edges, 34 and 35, secured to the respective side walls, 14 and 13, as by Welding along said ment.

The lower end or apex 36. of said plate 32 extends to the edges to said walls at the lines of engagerounded :corner between said walls 13 and 14 and is secured thereto in a similar manner. By reason of this construction, there is a corner :area of the container 11 which is walled off from the interior thereof by the transition corner plate 32, the upper edge of which is tangent to the periphery of the opening 1-7, as illustrated in FIG- URES 3, 4 and 5, this area being designated 37. The shape and length of the plate 32 is desirably such that it makes an angle, designated 38, of about 15 with the cortion plate 32 and the horizontal is greater than the angle of repose of the material being dumped, so that said material slides freely thereover without lying on said plate and not flowing from the container, thereby facilitating removal of the container contents and avoiding the leaving of an appreciable residue after such operation. The leading position may be 180 from the dumping position. However, the container may be loaded when in the position of FIGURES 1 and 2. With certain materials it may be desirableto have the container tilted to a somewhat difierent extent. The angle of 45 is selected so that the. material will not only flow oflt the part of the curved plate 32 at the center portion of greatest angulari-ty, but also off the side portions of said plate which, because of the curvature, lie at a slightly less angularity to the horizontal. When tilted for dumping, the knurled lock cap 25 is desirably removed to allow air to replace the material.

Although I do not wish to be limited to dimensions, yet my invention is particularly adapted for use in connection with a 55-gallon drum having a cover such as designated 27 in FIGURE 5. With a container of this capacity the.

material used is desirably *3 aluminum plate for the bottom and .105" aluminum plate for the sides, top and corner transition portions. The legs or feet are desirably made of .160" aluminum plate while the head is desirably of .062. aluminum and is 24 in diameter.

' have shown a hollow body which is rectangular, that hich'is 48 wideone way and 42" wide at right angles on set a selected height or here illustrated as about made between-the transidepth, with 4 /2" legs or feet at the bottom. I do not wish to be limited to one of this shape, as the container could be cubical or square in horizontal section, or square from one side and rectangular from the other. In-the pres-ent embodiment, the center of the aperture 17 lies on a 45 diagonal from one corner as viewed in FIGURE 3. This is preferred, but not essential. It is also quite close to the corner, that is, in the illustrated embodiment, its center is desirably 14" from each of the adjacent side walls. The outer surfaces of all of the corners are desirablyabout radii of 1 /2".

Referring now to FIGURE 7, there is shown a framework 39 consisting of structural members capable of supporting a filled container 11. This framework rotatably supports a cradle 41 on which may be secured a hollow rectangular body 11 constructed in accordance with my invention. This cradle 41 is provided with a crank 42 pivotally connected to a piston rod '43 which extends from a piston, not shown, in an operating cylinder 44. The end of the cylinder, opposite to that from which the piston rod 7 43 projects, is pivoted at 45 to the frame 39.

This cylinder may be operated by compressed air from a source, not shown, so as to tilt the container 11 supported on the cradle .41 from the loading position at 11, to the unloading or discharge position represented at 11 in FIGURE 7. It will, of course, be understood that meansmay be provided for transporting the. frame and cradle from a loading position where the container receives material when either upright or positioned 180 from that selected for unloading, to the unloading position designated 11' where the material is discharged from said container for any desired purpose, after being rotated about supporting pivot means 46.

Having now described my invention in detail in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes, those skilled in this 'art will have no difliculty in making changes and modifications in the individual parts or their relative assembly in orderto, meet specific requirements or conditions. Such changesand modifications'may be made without departing from the scope andspirit of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A hollow body to serve as a container comprising aluminum side sheets, an aluminum bottom sheet closing the area between the lower edges of said side sheets, an aluminumtop sheet closing the. area between the upper edges of said side sheets, a generally circular relatively large opening in said top sheet,.ofiset from the center toward one corner and defined by an upstanding flange terminating in a bead, said flange being'united to said top sheet bya conical connecting plate expanding thereto from its lower edge, a cover for saidopening with a rounded edge portion to overlie said bead, means for holding it in place thereover with a gasket therebetweeu for insuring against leakage, and a transition corner plate secured to and dependingtrom the .top sheet at the corner to which said opening is offset, closing 01f 'an area at the corner portion from a point immediately beneath the conical connecting plate, tapering while it slopes gradually toward and finally merges with said corner portion at a substantial distance from said top sheet, the side edges of said transition'plate being secured to the side sheets which are united at said corner portion,.whereby said container may be satisfactorilyemptied by rotating, in a plane passing throughsaid corner portion and the center of said openingpfrom an upright position until the transition corner plate is at the bottom and slopes with respect to the horizontal at an angle greater than that of'repose of the contents insaid container, and said contents are dischargeable without residue being lei't in said body. r

2. A hollow body to serve as a container comprising side sheets, a bottom sheet closing the area between the lower edges of said side ,sheets, 'a top sheet closing the area between the upper edges of said side sheets, a rela tively large opening in said top sheet oifset from the center toward one corner, an upstanding flange united to said top sheet and defining said opening, a cover for said opening, means for holding said cover in place over said flange, and a transition corner plate secured to and depending from the junction between the top sheet and flange adjacent the corner, tapering while it slopes gradually toward and finally merges with said corner portion at a substantial distance from said top sheet, the side edges of said transition plate being secured to the side sheets which are united at said corner, whereby said container may be satisfactorily emptied by rotating in a plane passing through said corner and the center of said opening from an upright position until the transition corner plate is at the bottom and slopes with respect to the horizontal at an angle greater than that of repose of the contents in said container, whereby said contents are dischargeable without substantial residue left in said body.

3. A hollow body to serve as a container, comprising a plurality of metal side sheets united at corner portions, a metal bottom sheet closing the area between the lower edges of said side sheets, a metal top sheet closing the area between the upper edges of said side sheets, a generally circular opening offset from the center toward one corner in said top sheet, which sheet is generally unobstructed on its inner surface around said opening so as to be free from means bafiiing the flow of material therealong when the body is upturned to a discharge position, and a transition corner plate formed of material corresponding with that of which the body of the container is formed, generally triangular and curved in shape, having one side secured to and depending diagonally from the top sheet, adjacent the corner toward which said opening is olfset and tangential to the periphery of said opening, closing off an area at only one said corner portion immediately beneath said top' sheet, tapering while it slopes gradually toward, to finally merge with, said corner portion at a substantial distance from said top sheet, having its side edges secured to the respective side sheets which are united at said corner portion, and the lower end or apex extending to the corner between said side walls and secured thereto.

4. A hollow body to serve as a container, comprising a plurality of metal side sheets united at corner portions,

a metal bottom sheet closing the area between the lower edges of said side sheets, a metal top sheet closing the 5 area between the upper edges of said side sheets, a generally circular opening offset from the center toward one corner in said top sheet, which sheet is generally unobstructed on its inner surface around said opening so as to be free from means bafiiing the flow of material there- 10 along when the body is upturned to a discharge position,

and a transition corner plate secured to and depending from the top sheet adjacent the corner toward which said opening is olfset and tangential to the periphery of said opening, closing off an area at only one said corner portion immediately beneath said top sheet, tapering while it slopes graduatlly toward, to finally merge with,

said corner portion at a substantial distance from said top sheet, having its side edges secured to the side sheets which are united at said corner portion, said generally circular opening being defined by an upstanding flange united to the top wall along the upper edge of a diagonal connecting plate portion, the upper edge of said flange terminating in a bead, a cover for said opening, the outer edge of which is curved to overlie the head, a gasket disposed between the top of said head and said curved cover portion, and a clamping ring for holding said curved cover portion against said bead in compressing relationship with said gasket.

References tlited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,102,057 12/37 Chamberlain 222564 X 2,114,137 4/ 38 Conner 22097 X 5 2,498,125 2/50 Knudsen et a1. 220-69 X 2,648,428 8/53 White et al. 22023.4X 2,862,645 12/ 58 Page et a1. 3,080,096 3/63 Carfizzi 220--l.5 X

40 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

EARLE I. DRUMMOND, GEORGE O. RALSTON,

Examiners. 

4. A HOLLOW BODY TO SERVE AS A CONTAINER, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF METAL SIDE SHEETS UNITED AT CORNER PORTIONS, A METAL BOTTOM SHEET CLOSING THE AREA BETWEEN THE LOWER EDGES OF SAID SIDE SHEETS, AN METAL TOP SHEET CLOSING THE AREA BETWEEN THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID SIDE SHEETS, A GENERALLY CIRCULAR OPENING OFFSET FROM THE CENTER TOWARD ONE CORNER IN SAID TOP SHEET, WHICH SHEET IS GENERALLY UNOBSTRUCTED ON ITS INNER SURFACE AROUND SAID OPENING SO AS TO BE FREE FROM MEANS BAFFLING THE FLOW OF MATERIAL THEREALONG WHEN THE BODY IS UPTURNED TO A DISCHARGE POSITION, AND A TRANSITION CORNER PLATE SECURED TO AND DEPENDING FROM THE TOP SHEET ADJACENT THE CORNER TOWARD WHICH SAID OPENING IS OFFSET AND TANGENTIAL TO THE PERIPHERY OF SAID OPENING, CLOSING OFF AN AREA AT ONLY ONE SAID CORNER PORTION IMMEDIATELY BENEATH SAID TOP SHEET, TAPERING WHILE IT SLOPES GRADUALLY TOWARD, TO FINALLY MERGE WITH, SAID CORNER PORTION AT A SUBSTANTIALLY DISTANCE FROM SAID 